


The Worst Birthday Ever

by Flameo_Hotman



Series: Watch Your Step [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, HAPPY BIRTHDAY PEOPLE ARE MURDERED, Implied Child Abuse, Its only june and yet here we are, M/M, Merry Christmas, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, Sokka is a good boyfriend, Surprise Birthday Party, The only holiday fic I will ever write, Zuko hates his birthday, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, gone wrong, this fic will hit you with a baseball bat and push you down the stairs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:34:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24643396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flameo_Hotman/pseuds/Flameo_Hotman
Summary: A year into dating Zuko, Sokka realizes he doesn't know his own boyfriend's birthday and decides to go behind Zuko's back to find out and throw him a surprise birthday party. What could go wrong?Written by me for me for my birthday.Beta Read by H_Faith_Marr and 1Zukoneedsfamily2
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Watch Your Step [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1872544
Comments: 25
Kudos: 483





	The Worst Birthday Ever

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Flameo_Hotman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flameo_Hotman/gifts).



> Revised as of 08/10/2020 to improve flow and establish continuity for other works in this universe.

Warm sunlight streamed in through Sokka’s bedroom window as Zuko shifted in the bed next to him and got up.

Sokka wouldn’t exactly say that he was a morning person, but ever since Zuko had moved in with him, mornings had become something he didn’t begrudge anymore. Not when the sight of Zuko’s peaceful early morning face greeted Sokka every morning with the rising sun.

That peaceful look would fade after thirty or so seconds before reality wrapped itself back around Zuko in a poisonous blanket unless Sokka pulled him back into the bed and kissed him, slow and sweet, with all the morning energy he could muster.

And sleepy morning kisses that kept that peaceful look on Zuko’s face all morning was what Sokka had decided his morning duties to be.

So he sat up and dragged Zuko back into bed, not ready to relinquish Zuko’s happiness to the ever-present creeping edges of depression born of too many bad things to count.

Zuko sighed happily into Sokka’s mouth, before finally pulling away and groaning, “You have gross morning breath, sweetheart. Brush your teeth while I make you some breakfast. Then you can kiss me again.”

“Sounds great, but you should probably put on some pants first if you don’t want to get bacon grease kisses on your dick,” Sokka teased his boyfriend of one year and a day playfully.

Zuko rolled his eyes and sighed, “I hate you sometimes.”

“I love you too, sweetheart,” Sokka answered before he finally dragged himself from the bed to head off to the bathroom to brush his teeth with the weird charcoal toothpaste Zuko had picked up from the mall. It didn’t leave a gross taste in his mouth that ruined food if he brushed before eating, so that meant lazy morning kisses while Zuko cooked, and Sokka loved that more than life itself.

He would do  _ anything  _ to keep kissing away the darkness at the edges of his boyfriend’s mind.

Sokka would do  _ anything  _ to keep Zuko smiling and happy.

But it was while he stood there brushing his teeth, thinking of all the incredible things that he had done with Zuko over the past year, that a horrible realization hit him.

During the past year, he hadn’t celebrated Zuko’s birthday.

Actually, he didn’t think in the close to a decade that he had known Zuko that he had ever celebrated the guy’s birthday. He  _ didn’t even know _ when Zuko’s birthday was. How do you know someone for close to a  _ decade  _ and  _ not learn _ their birthday? What kind of person doesn’t know their own boyfriend’s birthday?

Sure the first few years of knowing Zuko, not knowing the guy’s birthday, had been understandable because they had not even been friends. But then Zuko had shown up on his doorstep, asking if it was true that his dad was a cop and if he could talk to the guy, all while holding a bloody washcloth to his left eye and shivering despite the July heat.

Following that, Zuko had collapsed on Sokka’s doorstep.

What had happened had found itself splashed across every headline by the time Zuko woke from his coma.

Ozai was lucky he was behind bars still, because the moment he got out of prison, Sokka was going to end him. After everything that Zuko had ended up revealing about the man and the awful things he had done to Zuko, Sokka held no reservations about the idea of murdering the man. And Toph had volunteered to help him.

Who would question an alibi given to him by a  _ blind girl _ ? (Though he suspected that Toph wanted  _ him  _ to be  _ her  _ alibi.)

A quick check of Zuko’s social media profiles revealed that he had not listed his birthday on any of them. And a quick google search revealed that the news articles about Zuko hadn’t said anything about his birthday either.

But then Zuko was calling him from their kitchen, and Sokka tabled his search for the elusive birthday until after Zuko had left for work.

He didn’t want to do  _ anything  _ to ruin Zuko’s morning and bringing up the fact he didn’t know when Zuko’s birthday was would probably do that.

If anyone would be able to find out Zuko’s birthday for him quickly, then Suki would be able to since she was currently dating Mai and Ty Lee. The two women had known Zuko since they were all in diapers practically.

So Sokka shot Suki a quick text asking her to find out for him, while Zuko put the dishes in the dishwasher and turned to look at Sokka expectantly, as he said, “I should probably take a shower before getting ready for work.”

“I could certainly use one as well,” Sokka shot back as blood instantly rushed right to his dick at the thought of all the filthy things he and Zuko could get up to during their morning shower. Zuko rolled his eyes in response, but he didn’t object when Sokka slipped into said shower with him.

Zuko left for his shift at the Jasmine Dragon while wearing his hair down, despite his preference to wear it up at the coffee shop.

A few minutes after Zuko had left, Sokka got his things together to go to his own job, when his phone pinged, and he decided to check it quickly.

**Kyoshi Warrior:** 😑 how do you not know your own boyfriend’s birthday

Sokka sighed, knowing he should have expected that response before sending back a quick text.

**Boomerang Guy:** So do you know when it is 👀

**Kyoshi Warrior:** Fair enough 🖕🖕🖕

**Kyoshi Warrior:** Mai already left for work already I’ll ask Ty Lee

Sokka had made it out to his car before she texted him back.

**Kyoshi Warrior:** December 21st

**Boomerang Guy:** Ty you’re a lifesaver 🙌🙌🙌

That was only a week away. Any other year Sokka would have panicked at the realization that Zuko’s birthday was so close to Christmas because Zuko usually turned down their offer for him to join them in the festivities and vanish until after New Years was over. Still, this year he had agreed to spend Christmas with Sokka and his family.

Though that may have had something to do with Iroh dating Gran-Gran, and the fact that Iroh was going to be spending Christmas with Sokka’s family this year and wouldn’t be able to act as Zuko’s excuse not to come.

Sokka was the plan guy, and putting together a surprise party in only a week wasn’t too hard to manage. He hid the decorations at Katara’s place, along with the present he got for Zuko, so his boyfriend wouldn’t find them before the 21st. When Zuko had left for work that day, Sokka called Katara and Aang, who brought over the present and the decorations and helped him set up.

Suki, Mai, and Ty Lee arrived with the cake about a half-hour before Toph got there.

All Sokka had to do was pick his boyfriend up from work and bring him back to the apartment, where their friends were waiting to surprise him with the first birthday party they had ever thrown for him.

But when Zuko walked in and the Gaang popped out from their hiding places and shouted, “Surprise!” Zuko froze.

Then he’d turned and ran.

Sokka reacted instantly, knowing that if Zuko got to the stairwell, there would be no catching up.

Stupid Zuko and his sexy parkour skills.

Somehow Sokka managed to catch him right as Zuko slipped through the doorway of the stairwell.

“Let go of me!” Zuko snarled, as he struggled against Sokka’s superior strength. A strength that Zuko typically was a massive fan of.

Sokka didn’t let go of his boyfriend, worried that the man would take off down the stairs like he was the Blue Spirit or something.

“Baby, no, not before you tell me what’s wrong.”

Zuko’s struggling finally died down, and Sokka turned his boyfriend to face him, and he was shocked to see the tears freely streaming from Zuko’s good eye.

“I hate my birthday,” Zuko revealed weakly, as he melted into Sokka’s strong arms. “That’s why I asked for Uncle to schedule me to work today. I wanted today to be just any old normal day.”

Sokka was officially confused.

“You hate your birthday?” Sokka asked concerned and realizing that he had severally miscalculated going behind his boyfriend’s back to discover Zuko’s birthday so he could throw him a surprise party.

There was obviously a reason Zuko hadn’t told them his birthday.

He should have asked Zuko directly about his birthday.

“My birthday has never been a happy event for me. Same with the holidays as well… So I just don’t celebrate either. Uncle understands, and he never pressured me to celebrate. On my birthday and Christmas, he hands me my present and leaves it at that. Sometimes we go to dinner, but we don’t celebrate…”

And then Zuko began to explain why they hadn’t been happy occasions, and Sokka felt his blood boil.

* * *

Zuko woke up on his eleventh birthday to the sound of screaming and yelling from right outside his bedroom door. But that wasn’t an unusual way for him to wake up these days.

Ever since his cousin had died in that car wreck earlier in the year, his parents were always fighting. And according to his mother, his uncle had vanished after the funeral to travel the world on some sort of trip meant to heal his heart.

Father said that Uncle was pathetic and weak for doing so.

Zuko had chosen to stay quiet when his father had said that. He believed his mother and was sure his father was mistaken about Uncle. But he knew better than to voice that around his father or people who would report what he had said to Ozai.

That didn’t stop Zuko from cracking his bedroom door open when he heard a loud slap and a cry of shock.

His mom had one hand braced against the stairs’ railing, while the other cupped her reddened cheek.

“How dare you speak to me like that!” His father snarled at his mom.

For once, his mom didn’t cower before Father and instead shouted, “That is it! I know you were the one to cut the breaks on Lu Ten’s car! I’m taking what I know to the police, and you will  _ rot  _ in prison far away from  _ my _ children!”

Zuko’s blood went cold, but Father’s hadn’t.

“I won’t let you,” Father had said calmly, voice filled with icy fire before he rushed forward and shoved Zuko’s mother as hard as he could.

It happened too fast for Zuko to understand what he was seeing, but at the same time, the world seemed to slow to a crawling pace, and every last detail etched itself into his brain forever.

His mother’s grip on the railing slipped, and she stumbled for a moment, trying to catch her footing as her eyes went wide. She reached out to try and grab at Father. But her hand closed on empty air, as his father had stepped back.

Zuko shut his eyes and quickly covered his ears,  _ horror  _ racing through him.

Years later, he made sure not to make the same mistake, of standing at the top of the stairs, when he finally confronted Ozai. His mistake had been standing too near the gas stove.

At least he hadn’t paid with his life as his mother had.

* * *

Sokka had read in the papers that during the court hearing, Zuko had told the jury why he had been half-blinded by Ozai, but Sokka hadn’t known until now what day Ozai had killed Ursa.

Ozai had ended up with a life sentence with good reason, even though all he initially was being tried for was assault.

A double homicide with a side of attempted murder would tend to do that.

“Fuck… That has to be the worst birthday ever,” Sokka managed to say after several moments of silence finally.

“Yeah, no shit,” Zuko managed with a tired sigh. “When Ozai realized I had seen what had happened, he told me to keep my mouth shut, or he would do the same to me. So when he claimed she had run off on him, I kept my mouth shut. I don’t blame Azula for running off when the truth finally came out.”

“It wasn’t your fault. You know that, right?”

“Yeah, I know,” Zuko answered.

Sokka stood there in an empty stairwell rubbing slow, soothing circles into Zuko’s back, before he finally asked, “So do you want to go get some food with me? We can get whatever you want. Even if it is that way too spicy place, I think you are crazy for liking.”

“Yeah, I’d like that,” Zuko said with a nod before rubbing the tears from his face with his coat sleeve.

It was probably the single most awkward dinner date he had taken Zuko on, but he would do anything to keep Zuko from having anything that horrible from happening to him ever again. And if eating noodles that were so spicy he might puke was a way to cheer Zuko up, then Sokka would eat nothing but spicy noodles for the rest of his life.

He would do  _ anything  _ for Zuko.

He did make sure to send a quick text to the birthday planning group text letting everyone know to pack up and go home. (He did ask that they leave the cake and just scrape off the part about Zuko’s birthday.)

It wasn’t until a few days later when they were getting ready to head on over to Gran-Gran’s place that Sokka thought to ask, “So if you don’t celebrate holidays and stuff like that, why did you say yes this year to spending Christmas this year with my family?”

Zuko was quiet for a moment before he pulled on the red sweeter that Katara had made for him two years ago and finally said, “Well, I didn’t have a good excuse since Uncle is going to be there. Plus, my therapist thinks it would be good for me to try and start building new and happy memories around things like holidays. Dr. Yugoda says I can work up to my birthday, once I feel comfortable with the holidays.”

“Okay, makes sense. Anything I can do to help?”

Zuko toyed with the hem of his sweater as he answered, “Pretty much the same stuff you do when I am having an anxiety attack… Like reminding me to breathe and slow my thoughts. Keeping me relaxed about the whole thing…”

Sokka strode over and rested his hands on Zuko’s fidgeting ones, until they stilled and let go of his sweater, before taking them into his own and lifting them to his mouth so he could press a quick kiss to them.

Then he soothed, “Of course, I can. I’d do  _ anything  _ for you. And if it gets to be too much, then we can go get more spicy noodles.”

Zuko gave a tiny smile at his words and pressed his head into Sokka’s shoulder before giving a small nod. They stood like that for a few minutes, Zuko resting his head on Sokka’s shoulder and Sokka resting his head on Zuko’s own. It was more than anything Sokka could have ever asked for, and he wondered if Yue was smiling down on them from the heavens.

He still missed her, but he had Zuko now.

Sokka would do anything to keep Zuko safe and happy.

He’d only been able to do one of those things for Yue, but she had died a hero when she had rushed out into the street to push that child out of the way of that oncoming car.

Sokka had spent years wishing he had been the one to die that day, but being with Zuko made him glad he hadn’t because then who would be here in this moment with Zuko? Who would make sure that Zuko was cherished and loved?

Sokka was determined to make sure that Zuko would have the best Christmas ever.

So after a few minutes, he pulled away and pressed a gentle kiss to Zuko’s forehead, and finally said, “Okay, let’s go. I know you don’t like being late.”

Christmas had gone a lot better than Sokka had thought it would.

Anytime that Zuko seemed to start getting anxious or panicked, Sokka would rub his back and press a kiss to his cheek, and Zuko would scoff at him as though he was annoyed, but Sokka knew that Zuko secretly loved mushy shit like that.

Which is why he did that kind of stuff as often as he could.

No one brought up the disaster of a birthday party mere days before, and it had been mostly smooth sailing.

When Gran-Gran had asked what had taken Zuko so long to come to spend the holidays with them finally, Sokka had been quick to answer, “Zuko and Iroh have holiday traditions of their own that they normally do, but this year they decided to come to ours.”

That answer had been sufficient to put a stop to any further prying questions, and the rest of the night had gone smoothly.

Waking up the next morning to Zuko snuggled up next to him on the couch had been Sokka’s favorite part, and he was pretty sure this was his favorite Christmas present ever.

There was nothing that could compare to how beautiful Zuko looked at that moment.

So after pressing a gentle kiss to the top of his boyfriend’s head, Sokka drifted back off into his dreams, filled with wedding bells and Zuko standing with him at an altar.

A dream that Sokka was determined to turn into a reality.


End file.
